The Dark House

e knew it was silly-sillier than in believing in God-and he had almost succeeded in forgetting

umped out of his brain and was running about by itself, doing just what it liked; then lights, torches with streamin

of living and moving. He never had much chance to run. You couldn't run by yourself for nothing. People stared or were annoyed when you bumped against them.

he pushing, jostling crowd and caught hold of him. He was capless, panting. His red h

the way down to the Green-they've got their tent there-if we could on

we'll get there first," Robert shout

policemen whose "Now then, you young devils" was lost in the clatter of their feet. Cosgrave gasped, but Robert's hold was relentless, compelling

ing out of his head and his lungs on the point of bursting. But the reward was near at hand. There, at the bottom

Robert shouted.

d, a disconcerting crowd gathered round the chief entrance, but Robert was like a general, cool and vigorous, strung up to the finest pitch of cunning. He wormed his way under the ropes, he edged and insinuated him

nt," Robert laughed triump

Cosgrave gasped

dignant in front, the craning of necks, and indistinguishable, thrilling murmur. A small boy, whom Robert recognized as the butcher's son, evidently torn between the dignity and excitem

say-what'

n't know-look

y reached the entrance to the tent they halted, and with some uneasy shuffling formed up on either side, making a splendid passage of fire for the ten Moorish horsemen who rode next, fierce fellows these, armed to the teeth, with black, shining faces and rolling eyes. A band struck up inside

nking thing out of

sparks gets into me 'at I'll be all ablaze in half a j

ert whispered bitterly. "W

great chariot-race-the Legless Wonder from Iceland-Warogha, the Missing Link-the greatest living Lady Equestrian, Madame Gloria Marott

w. After the ferocious magnificence of the Moorish gentlemen, they came as a sort of comic

ard-not an inch bigger than our collie, is he,

d about her beastly co

d out like prisoners out of the peep-holes of a monstrous moving prison. When the man next to Robert offered the smallest of them an empty paper-bag it curled its trunk over his head and opened its pointed mouth and let out a piercing squeal of protest which a

that's all you can ex

ir position. They wore turbans and carried sticks with pointed iron spikes at the head, and when they came to the low entrance of the tent they prodded the

h the feathered hat disconsolately. "And there's our George,

he far end of the procession, which thereupon broke out into throaty triumphant tr

ust look at her

the toes of those behind, edging out of reach of his restless, dancing hoofs. For it seemed impossible that the woman in the saddle should be really his master. And yet she sat upright and unconcerned. In its black, close-fitting habit, her supple body looked a living, vital part of the splendid beast. She was his brain, stronger than his savage instinct, and every threatening move of his great limbs was dictated to him without a sound, almost without a gesture. A touch of a slender, patent-leather boot set him prancing, an imperceptible twist of the wrist and he stood stock still, foam-necked and helpless. It was a proud-an awe-inspiring spectacle. And it was not only her fearless strength. She was fair

not care, no more than a fanatic worshipper beneath the wheels of a Juggernaut.) Now under her eyes his heart stood still, his knees shook. She did not smile; she did not recognize his naked, shameless adoration. And that too was well. A smile would have lowered her, brought her down from her superb distance. His happiness choked him. She was the embodiment of everything that he had heard pass in the distance from the silent dusks of Acacia Grove-splendour and power

nd rode forward, like a monarch into a grandly illumina

y thin legs looking like sticks of peppermint in their parti-coloured tights, and either was, or pretended to be, terrified of her minute and tubbily good-natured mo

a, la-

ite evident that she was trying to draw attention from the splendid creature who had preceded her to her own puny and outrageous self, and that by some means or other she succeeded. She gesticulated, she drew herself up in horrible imitation of

a la,

bert's side w

u see that? U

call 'er," the feathere

words-a

ed Robert

ke? Didn't she m

y, despicable people who like

d, slightly winded by this time, and playing raggedly. The torch-bearers for

nce of the Greatest Show in Europe-a unique opportunit

t once. The crowd melted away, and only Robert and his companion remained gazing

into his hair and tu

go-if only I could--

be

partially fr

thrust into his pockets began to walk homew

; jolly for you. I wish I hadn't. My pater's so beast

w night,

u got th

t I'll

box. What's the good of saving till you're grown up? I shan't want it then like I do now. It's silly. All

ly that Rufus should be so eager. What did he know of the true inwa

ckled face puckered wi

ng with you at your place. It'll be sort of true, won't it? And then he'll never think about t

care. A

a great sig

morrow night. I hope I don't die first. What di

ersy. He longed for the moment when Rufus would have to leave him. He wanted to be alone and silent. Even

as making sort of French noises. She made me laugh." Something wistful and hungry came into his shrill voice. He pressed close to Robert's side. "I like

cornfully, hugging his s